John Gleason, Former Tribune Copy Editor

John Ross Gleason, 74, a former Tribune features copy editor, also served as features editor of the paper for a year and as food guide editor for three years.

A resident of Ellenton, Fla., since shortly after his retirement in 1981, he died Wednesday in Manatee Municipal Hospital in Bradenton, Fla.

Fellow editors remember him as ``very affable,`` personable, well-liked and ``a man thrilled to be doing what he was doing.`` He was also an accomplished musician, whose perfect pitch enabled him not only to play but also to tune pianos.

Mr. Gleason, a native of Lakeside, Mich., graduated from Indian State Normal College in 1938. He was working for the Michigan City News-Dispatch in 1942 when he entered military service. He was in the Army Band from 1942 to 1946 and attended Chicago Musical College for a year after the war.

In 1956, he joined the Tribune as a copy editor in the neighborhood section. He worked in a variety of sections for the paper.

He was features editor in 1970, production chief for the Tribune Magazine following that and food guide editor for three years.